


That Night in Rio

by commanderspectre



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Love at First Sight, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-13 05:15:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7963873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commanderspectre/pseuds/commanderspectre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James Vega is recently enlisted in the Alliance Marine Corp, due to ship out to basic. He spends that remaining time down in Rio with his mothers’ family, heading out for a night on the town with his cousins when he meets the newest N7 Graduates straight from the Villa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Night in Rio

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fluffy little Shega thing

South America seemed to be perpetually sticky. Humidity thick even in the night air, sweat beading on his skin as he followed his cousins to the local cantina in the city proper. Despite being younger, he stood almost a head taller than them and got some looks from a few local girls as they went past. The dark tank top he was wearing clung to skin, forming to his chest and stomach chiseled by many dedicated hours in the gym.

He was due to ship out to Alliance Basic in a week, his uncle sending him down to spend time with his family in Brazil before he started his new life in the military. James always got along with his family on his mother’s side, he never felt out of place when he was with them, his bronze skin only slightly paler than theirs from his mixed heritage. The Vegas’ were more of a family to him than the Sanders’, always have been and always would be.

The large fans did little to cool the air in the bar, only moving it around so it didn’t become stagnant. It was packed with locals and a few tourists, the bar itself full, the couple bartenders going back and forth as servers wove through the crowd holding trays of drinks and local foods aloft. His cousins pushed through the crush of people, shouldering their way to the bar and leaning against the polished, albeit a little battered, wood. The bartender called out a greeting and there were beers in front of them in moments.

“My cousin just joined the Alliance!” One of his cousins, the eldest Dario, called out to the bartender. “Big _pendejo_ is going to be a marine!”

“Drink are on the house for Alliance!” The bartender called back and James raised his bottle to him in salute before taking a drink.

“You know, _vato_ ,” Dario started, “There’s an Alliance training facility near here.”

“Yeah?” James asked and he nodded.

“Called the Villa. They do some crazy black ops training shit there.” He said, “We know it’s there, but no one is allowed near it. Guards everywhere. Some of the soldiers training there will come into the city, hardcore motherfuckers. Scary.”

“Something to work towards.” James said and Dario gave him a smile, saluting him with his bottle. He and his cousins fell into pleasant conversation, bottles of beer just kept coming, but James drank them slowly, not wanting to go overboard.

“You been getting looks all night, _vato._ ” Dario said, “You should try to get some before you ship out.”

“Not my style, man.” James said, “That’s all you.” They both looked over as a cheer went out, a few people coming into the bar. They didn’t look like locals, but they definitely weren’t tourists. The tallest was a man, easily 6’5” and looked big enough to bench a Krogan, buzzed blonde hair and clear blue eyes. Sitting on his shoulders was a petite woman, his hands holding her legs as they pushed through the people. She had honey blonde hair that was pulled up in a messy bun at the back of her head, muscles shifting under olive skin and her green eyes were bright and clear even from across the bar. He found himself transfixed by her, bottle halfway to his lips and she met his eyes, feeling his gaze, the corners of her lips perking in a small grin. They were dressed military, but their fatigues were dark, not the Alliance blue. Cargo pants tucked into combat boots, but the overshirt was gone in favor of tshirts and tank tops.

“The Villa.” Dario said, moving his head at them. “Must have just graduated.” The woman hopped down from the man's’ shoulders, coming up to his chest. Patrons gave them a bit of a wide berth as they moved as a unit, going up to the bar and getting beers, turning and standing with their backs to the bar, keeping an eye on the entrances and exits.

At some point during the night, James wound up talking with them, his wide eyed awe at them having graduated N7 making them laugh. While the woman wasn’t the highest ranking officer (that went to the blonde male, who was a Major) they all regarded her as their leader, following her orders without question. Commander Shepard, was her name and he had a fleeting thought that he knew that name from somewhere, but it was pushed aside as the Major challenged him to an arm wrestling contest.

It was a tough battle, biceps and forearms straining as neither man budged, eyes locked in a test of wills. James felt his arm start to go, but he buckled down and refused to give in. He felt through the connection as the Major started to weaken and he flashed him a cheeky smile and a wink before slamming his hand down on the table. The Major took the defeat in stride, slapping him on the back with a wide smile as he got up.

“How’s the arm?” The Commander asked as he got up from the table.

“Ow.” He said and she laughed. James followed her back to the bar, taking the chance and standing with his arm across her back, hand on the bar on the other side of her. They had been pseudo-flirting all night, and he caught the look in her eyes when she gave him a once over. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and bumped him with her hip as she took a drink of her beer. He could feel the warmth radiating from her skin even in the humidity of the bar and he leaned into her a little, catching the soft, almost spicy scent of her hair. Instead of pulling away, keeping space between them, she leaned back, her side tucked against his. His hand slid over the bar to her waist and he caught the gentle gasp as his fingers met her skin. She was a few years older than him, but he didn’t care, and she didn’t seem to mind the age difference either.

Shepard was smart, beautiful, clever, with a wicked tongue that never faltered in sending witty barbs at the others. There was something about her, some vital spark that made him wish that he had met her sooner, that they had more time to get to know one another. If he wasn’t due to ship out, he would have asked her out by now, but he would have to settle for the shadow of intimacy as she pressed against his side from shoulder to hip.

Finishing her beer, she pulled away from him, but cast him a look over her shoulder as she went for the exit. Waiting a few moments, he followed her, finding her outside in the alley alongside the bar, leaning against the wall. Going to her, he put his hand against the side of the building, staring down at her as she looked up at him with those eyes. Her hand pressed against his chest, fingers plucking at the neck of his tank top and he reached up, holding the side of her jaw in his hand and he licked his lips before leaning into her.

Her sigh was gentle as he kissed her and she rose on her toes, pressing closer to him as she returned it, arms weaving around his neck. He tasted the beer she drank along with the spicy, sweet taste that could only be her and he deepened the kiss, feeling her shiver as he parted her lips. Shepard clung to him as his tongue swirled against hers, pressing against him. When he pulled away, he had vague ideas of getting them a hotel room and his blood heated at the thought of making love to her. With a soft sound, she pulled him back down into another kiss, seemingly wanting him as much as he wanted her.

“Fuck.” He sighed when he pulled away and she gave a low chuckle, pressing a gentle kiss to his chin.

“If we had more time.” She said, her hands sliding up his tank top to touch his stomach, the muscles tensing under her fingers.

“Shepard.” He whispered as he kissed her again, hands going to her hips and pulling her tight against him. James wanted to feel her legs around his waist, her skin against his, wanted to know what sounds she would make as he made love to her. He wanted to see the early morning sunlight in her hair and eyes, hold her close and make love to her again. Pulling one of her hands from his shirt, he laced their fingers palm to palm, finding them a perfect fit.

“Sarah.” She said when she pulled away, “My name is Sarah.”

“Sarah.” James echoed and rested his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes.

“Shepard!” They both looked towards the head of the alleyway as she was called and she sighed, pulling away from him, her hand leaving his.

“Shitty timing.” She said.

“Yeah.” He agreed. Shitty timing to find the love of your life.

“Later, Vega.” Sarah said softly, leaving the alley as the others came into view. His cousins would be looking for him, so he headed back into the bar.

“Goodbye, Sarah.”

_A few years later._

The cut above his brow still seeped sluggishly and he swiped at it with a cloth he kept in his pocket. Anderson sat across him in the shuttle that would take them wherever they were going, arms crossed over his Alliance dress blues. His knuckles were already starting to tighten up and he clenched and unclenched his hand with a grimace, the bruised and broken skin stretching painfully. Damn, Batarians.

The shuttle finally landed and they got out at the Omega docking bays, heading for an airlock, He didn’t look at the ship they were boarding, head down, resigned to his fate of a probably court martial. He deserved it, he deserved anything they did to him.

“Follow me, son.” Anderson said.

“Admiral, just throw me in the brig and be done with it.” James said.

“This ship doesn’t _have_ a brig, Lieutenant.” Anderson said and they took the elevator down to Engineering, “But we _do_ have a prisoner. You’re going to be her guard, her last line of defense. You’re not so much as keeping her from escaping as keeping her _safe._ Understood?”

“What are you talking about?” He asked and followed him down sets of stairs to a shadowed cargo area below the drive core.

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted.” Anderson said and left him alone with the shadowed figure sitting on the cot. They leaned forward as Anderson left and his heart pounded once his chest as the light touched upon her features.

“Commander Shepard?” He hadn’t seen her in person since that night in Rio all those years ago, and while he recognized her instantly, he doubted she recognized him. He was older now, looked older. He had tattoos on his arm and neck he didn’t have then, scarring on his face. There was a flicker of…something that crossed over her brilliant green eyes before it vanished and she got off the cot.

“EDI?” She asked, looking towards the ceiling. “Can you loop the last…oh say, 10 seconds?”

_“Yes, Shepard.”_

“Commander Shepard, I’m–mmph!” She grabbed him and kissed him and his hands went to her waist, pulling her close as she held the back of his neck, nails running through the shorn hair at the back of his head. She tasted just as he remembered, minus the beer, and she nipped at his lower lip when she pulled away.

“Just as I remember.” She said and identical slow smiles pulled at their lips before he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her again, her happy giggle against his lips making his heart swell.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos are nice  
> Comments are even better~


End file.
